This invention relates to round balers that include a bale wrapping apparatus for wrapping a harvested crop material with a wrapping material, such as a net or twine, to produce shaped bales of harvested crop material for convenient transport and storage. More particularly, the present invention relates to a round baler with a bale wrapping apparatus, wherein the round baler also includes a wrapping material brake release that works when accessing and repositioning a wrapping material dispenser roll mount.
Round balers of the prior art generally have a bale forming chamber defined by walls of a housing and an apron formed by an array of side-by-side belts, transverse slats entrained on chains, a plurality of rolls or a combination of various elements (e.g., rolls and belts). Cut crop material, such as straw, hay, and the like, is picked up from the ground by a crop pick-up assembly as the baler moves along a field. A conveyor or feeder assembly then takes the cut crop material and feeds it into the bale forming chamber, which may be a fixed or variable chamber, where the cut crop material accumulates and is compressed by a bale forming apparatus to form a cylindrical package of cut crop material, commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cround bale.xe2x80x9d The bale, while it is in this compacted and formed state, is wrapped by a bale wrapping apparatus with a wrapping material such as twine, netting, plastic film, or the like. The end result is a wrapped form-sustaining bale, typically having a round or cylindrical shape, that is ejected from the bale-forming chamber onto the ground for subsequent handling.
One problem with the prior art balers is that whenever wrapping material runs out or other need for servicing occurs, to access the spent material roll, the operator must separately undertake to remove or disengage the wrapping material dispenser roll brake before the spent roll can be accessed for its removal, replacement, or for other servicing of the baler.
A second problem with the prior art balers is that once such access has allowed the requisite roll replacement or other servicing, the operator must likewise, separately undertake to reposition the wrapping material dispenser roll to its functional position and reengage the wrapping material dispenser roll brake before the wrapping material roll is ready for use. Such repositioning of the wrapping material dispenser roll requires that the brake again be in a disengaged position until the repositioning of the wrapping material dispenser roll is completed. Only then, can the operator reengage the brake onto the dispenser roll.
Hence, there is a need for a more convenient and practical mechanism for disengaging a wrapping material brake from a wrapping material dispenser roll, both during access to the roll and during repositioning of the roll. More particularly, there is a need for a brake release mechanism that not only keeps the brake in a disengaged position during access to and repositioning of the roll, but also causes or allows the brake to reengage the dispenser roll once the roll is repositioned.
The present invention therefore endeavors to provide an improved baler that includes a mechanism for disengaging the brake during access and repositioning of a wrapping material dispenser roll that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art balers.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to overcome the limitations of the prior art balers that require the separate steps of disengaging the brake when accessing and repositioning the material dispenser roll mount, and of reengaging the brake once the mount is repositioned to a functional position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a baler with a convenient and elegant mechanism for automatically disengaging the brake when accessing and repositioning the material dispenser roll mount, and for automatically reengaging the brake once the mount is repositioned to a functional position.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a baler with a durable and reliable mechanism for automatically disengaging the brake when accessing and repositioning the material dispenser roll mount, and for automatically reengaging the brake once the mount is repositioned to a functional position.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a baler with a mechanism for automatically disengaging the brake when accessing and repositioning the material dispenser roll mount, and for automatically reengaging the brake once the mount is repositioned to a functional position that is practical and cost effective to manufacture.
In accordance with the above objects and other objects, which will be readily apparent to one having skill in the art, the present invention provides a wrapping material brake release assembly. The brake release assembly comprises, a wrapping material dispenser roll mount pivotable between a first functional position to dispense material from a dispenser roll and a second access position to provide access to the dispenser roll. A brake assembly is provided having a brake member arranged to brake the dispenser roll when the mount is in the first functional position. A ramp-shaped lifting member is arranged to lift the brake member from the dispenser roll when the mount is pivoted from the first position to the second position.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the ramp-shaped lifting member has first and second ramped sides. The first ramped side engages the brake assembly when the mount is pivoted from the first position to the second position. The second ramped side engages the brake assembly while the mount is pivoted from the second position back to the first position.
According to a further embodiment, the roll mount further comprises a brake drum. The brake member comprises a brake arm and a brake pad attached to the brake arm and arranged to contact the brake drum to brake the roll.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the roll mount further comprises a pivot plate arranged to pivot from the first to the second positions, and a shaft attached at one end to the pivot plate.
According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the ramp-shaped lifting member is disposed on the pivot plate.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the ramp-shaped lifting member is a plate disposed at an angle perpendicular to the brake arm.
According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the ramp-shaped lifting member slides against, and thereby lifts the brake arm as the pivot plate pivots from the first position to the second position.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the ramp-shaped lifting member slides against, and thereby lifts said brake arm as the pivot plate pivots from the second position to the first position.
According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the wrapping material is netting, twine, plastic film, or other material used to wrap forage.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, the ramp-shaped lifting member is adjustably attached to the pivot plate.
According to still a further embodiment of the invention, a pull pin arranged on the pivot plate serves as a drum locking mechanism for locking the brake drum in a fixed position.
According to a still further embodiment of the invention, said roll mount further comprises comprising a latch mechanism for holding the shaft in the first position. The latch mechanism is disposed at an end of the shaft opposite the pivot plate and comprises a first fixed latch plate and a second spring-biased latch plate.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments, which follows, when considered together with the attached drawings.